NEW DELHI: The prisons authority here told the Delhi High Court on Monday that a video conferencing facility has been started from June 22 for all the prisoners to get in touch with the legal aid lawyers.
All legal consultations had been suspended since March 25 following the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
Besides, video conferencing facility for women inmates, lodged in Jail no. 6 of Tihar Jail, to consult with their private lawyers has started from June 24, a bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan was informed by Delhi government additional standing counsel Satyakam, appearing for the Delhi Prisons authority.
Satyakam also told the bench that the video conferencing facility to consult private lawyers would be available in all jails in the national capital within 10-15 days.
Presently, the prisoners, except those in Jail no. 6, are being allowed to consult private lawyers over the phone only, he said.
The submissions were made during the hearing of two separate PILs by two different lawyers — Ajit P Singh and Sarthak Maggon — seeking directions to the prison authorities to permit legal consultation of the inmates with their private advocates.
(With PTI inputs)